Carolina's Lullaby

When our first son, Joshua Jr., was born on January 2, 2008, I wrote him a lullaby. I was overcome with God's goodness to me. I couldn't then and I cannot now believe that I am father and daddy. I most certainly do not deserve all the blessing in my life. God is good to me. I have memorized that lullaby, and I sing it now to all of our children. I had thought that I would be able to write each of them a lullaby, but I have just adapted this one to fit each of them. It is pretty much the same lullaby, but I did have to change more this time since she is a girl. Either way, it expresses my heart in life and fatherhood.

**CAROLINA'S LULLABY**

Hush little Carolina don’t you cry

Daddy’s gonna sing you a lullaby

I hate to see you crying red-faced with tears

Let me tell you ‘bout us in the coming years

The joy of rearing you can make this grown man weap

Right here in my arms you can fall asleep

I’ll stare at your face & kiss your chubby cheeks

Watch you start to grow in the coming weeks

God gave you a great mother who takes care of you

In love together we will teach you what’s true

three bigger older brothers you can look up to

You become like them, yes I hope you do

It’s a simple lullaby about what matters in life

Like trusting in God & being a faithful wife

Like serving other people in devotion to the sword

The Word of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord

Baby girl, I wanna teach you to throw and catch a ball

& I can hardly wait until you learn to crawl

We can walk to the park & I can push you on the swings

Raise you up right so you’ll appreciate things

I wanna teach you about pets like cats and dogs

And how to catch lizards, turtles, & frogs

I’ll show ya how to catch fish & how to bait a hook

how a boy should treat a girl and how to read a book

And how to play with kids and not be weak

Playing outdoor games like hide and seek

I wanna teach you about bruises, scabs and scars

take you on a walk at night to look at stars

I’ll teach you how to ride a bike & how to climb trees

I‘ll teach you about caterpillars, birds, & bees

I wanna pick you up when you fall & scrape your knees

Teach you how to pray, and say “yes sir” & “Please”

we can walk to the creek, I’ll show you how to skip a rock

I’ll show you how to play sports & how to speed walk

I wanna teach you how to not get upset by jokes

& how to be grateful & respect your folks

Carolina, I wanna teach you how to love your mom

& how to read the Bible, a daily Proverb & Psalm

It’s a simple lullaby about what matters in life

Like trusting in God & being a faithful wife

Like serving other people & devotion to the sword

The Word of Jesus Christ our Savior & Lord

Little girl, I wanna teach you how to be a lady

How to look ‘em in the eye & not be shady

How to keep your word & always work real hard

How to pay your bills on time & how to mow the yard

I’ll teach you how to keep a job & not be lazy

How to speak the truth in love and not be hazy

I wanna show you how to love & how to be a friend

And when to compromise and when to take a stand

And how to apologize and also how to forgive

Carolina, these are simple lessons on how to live

And life is not easy, it can be quite hard

Keep your eyes on Christ & don’t be caught off guard

It’s a simple lullaby about what matters in life

Like trusting in God & being a faithful wife

Like serving other people & devotion to the sword

The Word of Jesus Christ our Savior & Lord

JJ's First Day of Preschool!

 Time truly flies by!  We are still in unbelief that our oldest little boy, JJ, has started Preschool!  This day seemed so far off in the future, and yet here it is now.  JJ was super excited about going to school, though he did wake up with some nerves on the actual day.

Here he is showing off his new backpack, which his tia Natalia thoughtfully got for him. :)

 The entrance to our boy's first school, and the beginning of his academic career!!!

 I must admit that I was just as nervous (if not more!)...it was a big day for me, too!

 Hard to smile with a bright morning sun...it was early for JJ.

 Here he is, about to enter his new classroom...still a little nervous...

 Yet as soon as he walked in and met his teacher, he went along with everything smoothly.  So thankful for Ms. Ritter!  She made this big day so special for our little boy.  Here she is introducing JJ to his cubby.


 This is a nice view of JJ's classroom.  We were thankful that JJ did so well fitting in, as Ms. Ritter showed him around.

 The door that welcomed JJ, with his own little owl, along with all of his new classmates and friends.

 They told us it would be best if we left quickly, but of course, I couldn't really leave, so I stayed behind the door and peered through a dark window :)

 Busy painting and making new friends.

 Concentrated at his turn to paint his big brown dog. (picture from his teacher, Ms. Ritter)

 A little proof that my boy was enjoying his first day!  (picture from his teacher, Ms. Ritter)

 JJ with his class, all his new buddies.  Preschool 2012 (picture from his teacher, Ms. Ritter)

 Back at home, showing and telling me all about his first day.

Nerves all gone and a big smile from my preschooler...ready for another adventure!  He is truly enjoying it!!

Slide at the KY State Fair

Today we had the wonderful opportunity to go to the Kentucky State Fair. Since we have had children, we have taken them every August. While it is often very hot, very expensive and overcrowded, it always makes for some great memories! Today we went down the giant slide. JJ is always so excited to do these slides. Noah will even go alone. But Eli never wants to. So today, I made him. Here is a picture of all 4 of us sliding.
I cannot believe this life that God has given me. I assure you that I do not deserve to be the Daddy of three cool little boys.

a typical week for the boys

Each week Valeria and I work hard to see that boys "do" a lot. We want them outside, and we want them involved in lots of things.

Valeria takes them to the local Fairdale Library every Tuesday morning for Story Time. Here is a pic of all three of them there.

This past week we took the boys to watch the Fairdale High School soccer team. The team is good this year and has 5-0 record. To celebrate the recent victory over PRP, the boys went out on the field and practiced kicking some penalty kicks.

 

And this final picture here is of Eli posing as Captain America. It is a daily thing for all 3 boys to dress up and play as Super Heroes.

 

 

Summer Fun for the boys

Here are a few more pics of our boys.

This one is from the Louisville Bats minor league baseball game. JJ and Eli caught a foul ball.

This next picture is from just last week when we were at a local playground. Noah does not like to be the youngest and smallest brother. So he is by far the most assertive. And naturally, he wants to do everything that his older brothers are doing. He loves to hang and swing from things. Here he is working on his pullups.

This last picture is one of Eli. He is becoming such a big boy. He is the silliest of our 3 boys. Here is a picture of Eli just hanging out in the house. Eli being the middle child has a good balance of dominating little Noah and looking up to older JJ.

JJ smiling at the zoo

It is incredible to think that Valeria is pregnant with our 4th child. Time flies! It seems like just the other day that we were expecting our first. That was 2007. And JJ was born on January 2, 2008.
Here is a nice picture of him from just the other day at the Louisville Zoo. We are so happy being parents!

All 5 of us in Ecuador!

Our family, all five of us, just returned from Ecuador.
It was so nice to be able to take our sons. This picture is one of the many incredible experiences our boys got to experience.

Valentine's Day date with Mami

Valeria and I had an awesome opportunity to go out to eat Valentine's evening at our favorite restaurant. It was a very special evening together.

Valentine's Day morning however, the boys, JJ, Eli and Noah, got to take their Mami (in English we say "momma" but in Spanish we say "Mami") out on a date to Krispy Kreme.

Those three brothers can already put away the "Hot Now" glazed doughnuts! Momma had a good time!

Geo-Trax Track

Tonight when I got home from work, the boys were begging me to go to the basement and help them build a "BIG" Geo-Trax track. We had not played with Geo-Trax in quite a while so I agreed.

For the last several years, we have been collecting from yard sales, consignment shops, and birthday gifts and now we have a pretty big set of various Geo-Trax pieces.

In light of the Lois and Eunice blog post I did today I am happy to say that JJ and Eli had so much fun while the three of us built this masterpiece.

Valeria's four men

As 2012 is coming to an end, I am feeling a lot of unworthiness to where God has placed me in life. I am thrilled to be the "daddy" to three little boys.

I love being a Father to three boys who will one day soon (faster than I can really grasp- JJ turns 4 in 3 days) be men. I pray that God would use them to do great big brave strong things to tell the world of His Glory in Jesus.

I don't really know how to raise them so that they "turn out" that way. But I do know that Valeria and I pray for them a lot. We love them a lot. We spend a lot of quality time with them. And all 3 of those things are visibly centered around Jesus, His cross, and His word.

And up until this point, I am enjoying it and the three boys are enjoying it. (they seem to be very happy.)

Here is a recent picture of the four of us at the Lousiville Zoo. We climb up on this rock every time we pass it. JJ and Eli can both climb up on it by themselves now. Noah cannot yet. JJ can jump off. Eli and Noah cannot yet. All 3 of them are progressing well.

Valeria loves us all so much.

sometimes we call him... "No-Mo"

Noah is growing so quickly. He already gets around the house anywhere he wants to go. He doesn't allow JJ & Eli to pick on him without putting up a fight. And he is beginning to pull-up on things.

His name is Noah Morris Greene. So sometimes people call him "No-Mo." I like the nickname.

Flashback... Eli

While I am at it... here is one of my favorites ever of Eli.

Flashback... JJ

Was looking through some old pictures and found this one. I love it.

NOAH

Our sweet little Noah is growing up quickly! He is definitely no longer our little baby who stays in our arms all the time. In the past couple months he has mastered the art of army crawling. :) He has gotten fast at this, and combined with his rolling skills, he can get anywhere now! We are adjusting again to the life of having a crawling baby in the house...the training is fully underway! His older brothers JJ and Eli love it and laugh and play with him all the time. Even as the youngest of 3 boys in our home, Noah definitely makes himself heard with his developing vocal skills, and his smile and laugh make everyone around him smile and laugh too! The Greene home would not be the same without this little bright blue-eyed boy!

Here are 3 videos of our Noah. The first is his sweet little laugh that is so contagious. The second is so you can see our army crawling baby, and the third is a fun one of Noah splashing in his bath. I think he is getting too big for that tub. We don't usually let our boys splash like crazy in the bath, but this was too cute and too funny that we let it slide this time. :)

the dad life

Father's Day has passed, and I am overwhelmed by God's goodness to me in giving me three sons. I really do not deserve to have Valeria for a wife and JJ, Eli & Noah for sons. I am thankful. I love being a Dad.

Yesterday it was really hot and humid here. So these videos are what the boys and I came up with to do.

Tim Keller posted on Father's Day the following quote:

"Once you become a parent you will never be happier than your unhappiest child. Your heart is tied up with them."

I really connected with that quote. My kids are very young, but I certainly understand my heart being tied up with them. Likewise when they are happy, I am so happy.

Fun times when Papaw and Mamaw are in town!

We often ponder on how blessed we, and especially our boys, are to have such wonderful grandparents...and yet the distance is difficult as we would love for our boys to be around them so much more! However, being apart makes times that we are together so sweet and important to us. We truly treasure those visits! Recently, during the Memorial Day weekend, we were delighted to have Papaw and Mamaw come up to visit. It was an eventful weekend, and even though JJ got sick and wasn't feeling quite like himself, we enjoyed every moment of the visit. Here are some pictures of our boys enjoying papaw/mamaw-time! :)

A trip to the zoo never grows old! Their slogan is so true- "every day is different!" Papaw and Eli looking on at the pretty African elephant.
Cool daddy and son :)
Glacier Run was new to Papaw and Mamaw. The grizzly bears are so much fun to watch! Mamaw and Eli looking at the grizzly cub playing around on the bed of the truck.
Mamaw and Eli
Papaw with his namesake grandson, Noah Morris
Laughter with Mamaw
Sweet Eli looking for the polar bear...
...and there she is!!
We hope the polar bear will soon adjust to her new home at Glacier Run. Everytime we've been there she has been at that same spot.
Noah got a new zoo hat from Papaw!
JJ and papaw hanging out
JJ loves the zoo maps! He always wants one and wants to show us the way. He is a good tour guide! :)
The Greene men looking for the seals and sea lions.
It was hot!
Mamaw and Eli looking at the turtle
A manly chat
Papaw and Mamaw also treated us to a yummy dinner at Cheddar's (first time for them). Here they are relaxing with Noah.
Mamaw and JJ and Eli (not really wanting to take a picture)
Papaw and Mamaw came with a mission-- to surprise us with a beautiful swing set for our boys! We were overwhelmed by their generosity and know that it is just a small indication of the big love they have for our boys! The weekend was largely devoted to this-- papaw and josh worked long and hard on this...
I think Papaw needed a real vacation after all this :)
Daddy focused on the task
This was really good father-son time! Josh greatly enjoyed tackling this task with his dad :)

We are thankful that Papaw was very detailed in making sure the swingset was built as sturdy and safe as possible for our boys!

THANK YOU SOOOO VERY MUCH, PAPAW AND MAMAW!!

JJ and Eli absolutely love their swingset! Every day they ask to go out to play in it. They have so much fun swinging, sliding, climbing up into their tree house, taking books up there to read, and having picnics on their picnic table! They can't wait for Noah to join in! :)
We love you Papaw and Mamaw! Thank you for giving our boys a fun swing set, taking the time and energy to make a trip up to visit us, and most importantly for your love! We cannot wait to see you again!!